East Orange Campus HS football team gears up for Passaic County Tech in North 1, Group 5 championship game

EAST ORANGE, NJ — The top-seeded and undefeated East Orange Campus High School football team defeated fourth-seeded West Orange High School, 14-0, in the semifinals of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, North Jersey, Section 1, Group 5, playoffs on Saturday afternoon, Nov. 13, at Paul Robeson Stadium.

The Jaguars, who improved to 10-0 on the season under head coach Rae Oliver, will host third-seeded Passaic County Tech in the championship game on Saturday, Nov. 20, at Robeson Stadium at 1 p.m.

Passaic County Tech defeated second-seeded Ridgewood, 28-9, in the other semifinal on Nov. 12 to improve to 8-3. 

This will be the Jaguars’ third state sectional final appearance. In 2007, they defeated Montclair. In 2009, they lost to Roxbury. Both championship games were held at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford.

East Orange and Passaic County Tech have played and defeated three common opponents this season: Montclair, Columbia and West Side. East Orange defeated Columbia, 52-0; Montclair, 37-28; and West Side, 35-0. Passaic County Tech defeated Columbia, 7-0; Montclair, 20-14, in triple overtime; and West Side, 21-12. 

The East Orange–Passaic County Tech final is a rematch of the 2019 North 1, Group 5, semifinal won by PCT, 14-6, as the Jaguars finished with a 9-2 record. Last year’s playoffs were canceled due to the pandemic.

The winner between East Orange Campus and Passaic County Tech will face the North 2, Group 5, championship winner between Clifton and Paterson Eastside, in the North, Group 5, regional championship at either MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford or SHI Stadium at Rutgers University in Piscataway at a date and time to be determined.

EOCHS also will visit Barringer on Thanksgiving in Newark at 10:30 a.m. in one of the country’s oldest football series.

Photos Courtesy of Kerry E. Porter

East Orange vs. West Orange (North 1, Group 5 semifinals)

EOCHS roster

Head coach:

Rae Oliver

Assistant coaches:

John Jacob

Leander Knight

Roger Hutchins

Willie Miller

Eric Palmer

John Pullins

Mike Scott

Athletic Director:

Michael L. Baldwin, Sr.

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